Self-closing venting devices for electric storage batteries and the like



Nov. 12, 1957 E o H. LINDBERG 2,813,142

SELF-CLOSING VENTING DEVICES FOR ELECTRIC STORAGE BATTERIES AND THE LIKEFiled March 5, 1953 /0 g /7 I2 1 \6 I, /5

' INV NTO i BY United States Patent fitice SELF-CLOSING VENTING DEVICESFOR ELEC- TRIC STORAGE BATTERlES AND THE LIKE Erik Olof HenningLindberg, Oskarshamn, Sweden, assignor to Svenska AckumulatorAktiebolaget Jungner, Stockholm, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Thepresent invention refers to electric storage batteries and the like withvessels containing a liquid and provided with filling openings, ventpassages or the like, and the invention has for its object to providesuitable venting device of the type adapted automatically to close thefilling opening and the vent passage, respectively, if the vessel takesa position deviating too much from the normal position. The valve shallthus prevent the liquid from flowing out of the vessel, if the latter isinclined so that the filling opening or the. mouth of the vent passageis no longer directed upwardly, thus incurring the risk that the liquidmight flow or splash out.

A further object of the invention is to provide a selfclosing ventingdevice for electric storage batteries which provides for an eitectivetightening of a valve body at the corresponding seat independent uponthe direction to which the device is tilted.

A still further object is to provide a self-closing venting device witha splash guard adapted to reduce the quantity of the liquid contents ofthe storage vessel from splashing up into the valve housing of thedevice.

Another object of the invention is to provide valve means allowing thegases generated in the storage battery to escape from the battery alsoin the closed state of the venting device proper.

With these and other objects in view the self-closing venting device forelectric storage battery comprises the combination of parts andcombination of elements hereinafter more particularly described by wayof example, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical axial section of the device in its normal orvertical position, and

Fig. 2 is a similar section of the same device in an inclined position,in which the venting valve is closed.

In the drawing, 1 designates a valve housing with a threaded socket 2for screwing the same into the filling hole or vent opening of a storagebattery vessel or similar container in which the valve is to be used.Axially within the socket 2, the valve housing is formed with a tubularmember 3 having a downwardly directed valve seat 4, a valve body 5 beingprovided for cooperation with said valve seat. The valve body isconnected by means of a valve rod 6 to a device which is sensitive toalterations of the position of the valve and adapted to move the valvebody to cause the same to bear on the seat at a deviation of theposition of the valve from the normal one exceeding a certain valuegiven beforehand. In the construction shown, the device in considerationcomprises a lever body 7 supported in a manner to subject the same to anoverturning moment, when the valve is tilted from its normal verticalposition (Fig. 1), by reason of which said lever body is displaced andbrings the valve body 5 along with it.

The lever body 7 is substantially shaped on the lines of a body ofrevolution, or is at any rate symmetrical with respect to a centralaxis, and is supported in a Patented Nov, 12, 1957 widened upper portionof the surrounding valve housing 1 along a circle or points of or partsof a circle, the diameter of which is considerably smaller than thegreatest diameter of the lever body, the center of gravity of the latterbeing situated above said supporting line or supporting points in thenormal position shown in Fig. l. The upper widened part of the valvehousing is provided with .an inclined bottom surface 8, and the leverbody 7 is formed on the lower side thereof with an abutment 9 having acircumferentially extending corner edge 10 adapted to form saidsupporting line. A flange 11 protruding down into the tubular member 3contributes toward centering the lever body in the valve housing.

The upper end of the valve rod 6 is provided with a ball 12 retained ina corresponding bearing aperture closed at the top by a threaded plug13. Owing to the ball and socket joint thus formed the lever body 7 ispermitted to turn relatively to the valve rod 6,

The valve body 5 has a spherical or substantially spherical tighteningsurface 14 for cooperation with the valve seat 4, whereby small obliquepositions of the valve body when set up against the seat do notjeopardize the tightening fit.

i The valve body 5 is preferably adjustable with respect to its distancefrom the lever body. In the construction shown, this adjustability hasbeen provided for by the fact that the end of the valve r0d'6 connectedto the valve body is threaded into the latter.

The space between the threaded socket 2 of the valve housing and theinner tubular member 3 thereof is open inwardly toward the storagebattery vessel and communicates, above the tightening surface 15 of thevalve housing against the vessel, with the atmosphere through a numberof lateral passages 16. The mouths of these passages are covered by asnrrounding elastic valve ring 17 of rubber, for example. Thisarrangement permits releasing of gas out of the vessel should a certainpressure above atmospheric occur in the same. A packing 18 may beprovided on the tightening surface 15 of the valve housing.

The valve housing is provided at the top with a cover 19 provided with acentral aperture, in which is secured a tubular piece 20 opening into arelatively large central recess 21 in the lever body 7. A channel 22extends obliquely downwardly from said recess to lead off liquid thatmight have found its way up into the recess 21.

The valve housing is provided with a splash guard reaching down towardor into the contents of the vessel (the electrolyte in storage batteryvessels), said splash guard being adapted to bring down that quantity ofliquid which at movements of the vessel might splash up into the valvehousing. This splash guard is shown in the drawing in the form of a tube23 surrounding the valve seat, said tube being thrust onto the lower endof the tubular member 3. The tube 23 is advantageously made from amaterial which is easily wetted by the electrolyte in the storagebattery vessel, such material being ebonite, for example, whereas thevalve body consists of a material which is not wetted by the electrolyteor is wetted with difficulty only, such material being polystyrol orpolyethylene. Hereby electrolyte entering the valve housing will then,when flowing back into the storage battery vessel down the walls of thevalve housing, follow the inside of the tube 23 but not keep the valvebody moist. Any drops appearing on the valve body will be shaken loose.Hereby the formation of salt incrustations on the valve body and untightspots in consequence thereto at the pressing of the valve body againstthe valve seat will be prevented.

The mode of operation of the valve described is broadly as follows:

When the valve takes its vertical position, as in Fig. 1,

the communication between the vessel and the atmosphere is open past thevalve seat and through the tube 20. When the valve is tilted by acertain angle, such as 30", the lever body 7 is subjected to anoverturning moment with respect to that point, It) in Fig. 2, at whichthe abutment 9 thereof bears on the bottom 8 of the valve housing. Thebody 7 will thus turn over, so that the ball and socket joint 12 iscaused to move upwardly, the same then taking the valve rod 6 and thevalve body 5 along with it, so that the latter is pressed against thevalve seat 4. The valve is then kept closed, no matter what position thevalve takes the outside the limit angle in consideration, such as 30. Ifthe storage battery with the valve has been turned upside down, a smallquantity of liquid might have found its Way up into the valve housing. Aportion of such liquid flows down into the recess 21 and through thechannel 22 back to the storage battery vessel, when the latter is againturned into its proper position. In order that the liquid shall then bepermitted to pass the abutment 9 more readily, one or more radialapertures or slits may be provided in the same. If the storage batteryis turned into another position for a longer time, and particularly ifit is being charged at the same time, the pressure might grow todangerous values on account of the development of gas. This isprevented, however, by the valve formed by the rubber ring 17 and theapertures 16, inasmuch as the valve is then opened, so that gas orliquid is released, until the pressure thereof has fallen sutficiently.

It is possible to provide the storage battery with a self-closing valveaccording to the invention at the top and with another similar valve atthe bottom, such valves being then directed in opposite directions. Inthat case the risk of any liquid finding its way out is reduced.

The object of the splash guard 23 is, above all, to reduce the risk ofthe valve body 5 being acted upon by splashes of the liquid in thestorage battery vessel and to prevent flocks, that might under certaincircumstances be found on the surface of the liquid, from penetrating inbetween the valve seat and the valve body. The tube 23 may preferably beclosed at the bottom save for a small outlet aperture for draining offliquid.

What I claim is:

1. A self-closing venting device for electric storage batteriescomprising a valve housing with a bottom and a tubular portion extendingcentrally downward from said bottom, a valve seat, a valve-body adaptedto cooperate with said seat, a lever body in said housing formed as abody of revolution with a large diameter upper portion and lower portionincluding an arcuate abutment of substantially smaller diameter thansaid upper portion contacting the bottom of said valve housing toconstitute a universal pivotal support for said lever body and meansextending into the top mouth of said tubular portion below saidcontacting portion to center said lever body on the bottom of said valvehousing, said centering means comprising a neck having an essentiallysmaller diameter than that of the lever body, and means connecting thevalve body with the lever body whereby the lever body operates to openand close the valve at deviations of the valve position from the normalone exceeding a pre' determined value.

2. A self-closing venting device as claimed in claim 1 and furthercharacterized by the fact that the neck of the lever body is providedwith a passage for gas and liquid.

3. A self-closing venting device as claimed in claim 1, and furthercharacterized by an articulate joint in the connection between the leverbody and the valve body.

4. A self-closing venting device for electric storage batteries,comprising a valve housing with a supporting bottom surface having acentral passage therethrough, a lever body having an upper portion ofrelatively large diameter carried tiltably by said bottom surface at acircumferential edge of relatively small diameter, said lever bodyhaving a centering neck extending into said central passage below saidcircumferential edge, a valve seat in said housing, a valve body with asubstantially spherical tightening surface for engagement with saidseat, and means for articulate connection of said valve body and saidlever body, whereby the lever body will operate to engage the valve bodywith the seat at deviations of the valve position from the normal oneexceeding a predetermined value.

5. A self-closingventing device for'storage batteries, comprising avalve housing with a tubular portion adapted to open into the battery, avalve seat located in said tubular portion, a valve body for cooperationwith said valve seat, a tiltable lever body adapted to operate saidvalve body for opening and closing the valve in dependence upon theposition of the venting device, a splash guard surrounding the valvebody to preclude liquid in the battery from splashing up into the valvehousing, the external portion of said housing comprising a screwthreaded socket to be screwed into the wall of the storage batteryvessel and a passage for communication with the interior of the storagebattery, a seat at the circumference of the housing outside said screwthreaded socket, and resilient valve means for cooperation with saidseat to release gases generated in the storage battery.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS DuncanJune 29, 1954

